This invention relates to fashion accessories, specifically to a novel wrap belt.
Many varieties of belts are available on the market to secure articles of clothing more firmly on a wearer""s body. These belts can range from very simple to highly decorative styles. For instance, there are belts that consist simply of a length of fabric that can be tied around the waist of a wearer as in the case of bath robe ties. At the other extreme are the very decorative belts made of a rare leather and furnished with an elaborate buckle. Then there are high fashion belts that are designed to encircle the waist of a user multiple times before they are closed. The list goes on. All these different varieties of belts have one feature in common: they require the belt to close upon itself. In other words, the belt forms a closed loop. This restriction of having a closed loop results in disadvantages that the current invention purports to overcome. When a closed-loop belt is used on a dress that does not have belt loops, the dress and the belt behave independently. So the dress can move around separately from the belt and get uncomfortably and unattractively bunched. The belt can also move upwards or downwards with respect to the dress and not remain in the original position intended by the user. A closed loop belt also has disadvantages when worn with trousers or jeans. Since a conventional belt completely encircles the waist, it has to be unbuckled each time the wearer needs to remove their trousers or jeans. This can be a nuisance, for instance, when shopping for new clothes. Another disadvantage of a closed loop belt is that it can create an uncomfortable and sometimes unattractive bulk at the midriff. Additionally, a closed loop belt is restricted in use at the waist; it cannot, for instance, be used to hold a shoulder wrap (or a pashmina) in place. Also, it cannot be used to secure a sarong.
xe2x80x9cVest Scrunchersxe2x80x9d have existed in the market for several years. They are worn on loose clothing along the waist and usually on the back of the article of clothing. Their purpose is to help tighten the loose article of clothing on the waist of the wearer. They consist of a piece of fabric (usually elastic; about 6.0 inches long and about 1.0 inch wide) with a clip at each of the two ends. These two clips can be used to grab the article of clothing in a way that the article of clothing is made to better conform to the body of the wearer. While the xe2x80x9cvest scruncherxe2x80x9d does not require a closed loop, it serves a different purpose from a belt and is, therefore, different from the wrap belt of this invention. Also, the vest scruncher is too short to be considered a belt. Additionally, it is not adjustable beyond the elasticity afforded by the fabric. Moreover, it is not intended to be used on trousers or skirts.
For the sake of completeness, a brief mention of some relevant prior art devices is provided. Many of these prior art devices are different from the traditional closed-loop belts. However, none of these prior art devices addresses the advantages of the wrap belt of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 899,831 by Mastele describes a belt comprising two semi-circular metallic straps connected together by a plurality of coil springs to form a belt for encircling the waistband of a pair of trousers.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,237,660 by Lakin discloses useful improvements in elastic ligatures intended to exert contractile pressure on the limb for a useful purpose, such as supporting a hose leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,026 by Arnold presents a shirt hold-down device which in combination with the shirt and trousers of a wearer restrain the shirt from creeping up and bulging.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,516 by Dacyshyn provides a novel pair of suspenders for being detachably secured to a pair of pants. U.S. Pat. No. 1,549,672 by Lazier also describes a novel suspender.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,937 by McKinnis et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,364 by Newsom et al. describe devices for connecting together straps worn near opposite shoulders.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,550 by Hube presents an expandable, inflatable, adjustable belt comprising an inner-tube to which an air intake and release mechanism are attached.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 389,287 shows the ornamental design for an apparel sash.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to present a novel form of belt where the two ends of the belt can be attached to a wearer""s clothing instead of forming a closed loop.
It is also the object of this invention to present a novel form of belt that reduces the movement of clothing with respect to the belt thereby preserving the look intended by the wearer.
An additional object of this invention is to present a belt that is comfortable. Unlike traditional closed-loop belts, the belt of this invention does not need to be tightened uncomfortably for it to work.
It is yet another object of this invention to present a belt that does not need to be unbuckled and rebuckled each time one needs to remove the article of clothing the belt is attached to.
It is yet another object of the invention to describe a belt that does not cause an unattractive and uncomfortable bulk at the midriff. Unlike conventional belts, the belt of the current invention does not close at the midriff and does not position a hefty buckle at the midriff.
It is a further object of this invention to present a belt that can be used to secure other articles of clothing such as a sarong or a shawl.
It is also the object of this invention to present a belt that is very trendy and attractive. This advantage is of particular significance in the fashion accessory industry which is highly receptive to innovative new items and always hungry for the next new thing.